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More arrests and two land defenders in lock down at 'Dam Line 9' blockade

August 10, 2014 - 6:51pm

It had been a busy couple days on the on the 'Dam Line 9' site near the Thames River. Gardens and chicken coops had been set up, a concert was held, media requests taken, and even some time to for play.

Council of Canadians chapter members from Guelph, London, Toronto, Hamilton, and Niagara have all been out to the site in solidarity with the blockaders.

But, this afternoon a platoon of police showed up and served an injunction to the land defenders blockading Enbridge's Line 9 work site. While reports vary this is what is know.

It is reported that the local landowners association came by to hand deliver a report against LINE 9 to the police serving the injunction.

Two land defenders have locked them selves down on the site.

"This is first and foremost a colonial issue. We are here in solidarity with Indigenous peoples protecting the integrity of the land and water." - Wolfgang, one of two activists currently locked down

"We are here in solidarity with Indigenous land defenders everywhere. It is our responsibility to take action and stop the destruction and industrial genocide of the tar sands mega-project." - Dave, one of two activists currently locked down

It is not being reported that 2 people have been arrested with more likely to come. The two arrested are blockade liaisons that were previously allowed to stay on site. Activist on site are claiming the OPP negotiated in bad faith and unjustly arrested the two liaisons.

Dam Line 9 blockaders are calling for, "court support for 3 blockaders who were playing support roles to the two locked down. The three were arrested despite being told they wouldn’t be and the police have taken away all materials from those locked down except for one bottle of water each."

"Three people stayed on site to play support roles. Two were told they would not be arrested and yet all three were arrested an hour ago."

"If you can, please visit Brant County jail in Paris, Ontario at 28 Mechanic St, M3L 1K2 now to show support. They need solidarity!"

We’ve tried pursuing avenues with the National Energy Board and within local and regional governments. The concerns expressed by individual people and municipalities were ignored. The official processes have merely rubber-stamped dangerous tar sands projects and failed to protect us, so we are here out of necessity,” says Rachel Avery, a blockader. “This project is also being illegally forced through without meaningful consultation of Indigenous communities. For example, the Chippewas of the Thames have appealed the NEB approval, but Enbridge has continued to work on the line regardless,” Avery continued.

For updates check the Dam Line 9 facebook page or on twitter at the hashtags #damline9

Dam Line 9 Update - August 10, 2014 - 11:50PM:
-5 arrested
-The two locked in blockaders were hammer drilled out by OPP this evening (the police have blocked the visibility of the locked down activists with a van and truck but it is believed EMS gave them mask and blankets for protection)
-45 OPP officers, 18 cruisers, and 2 police vans all for two blockaders locked in
-Bail hearings for at least 3 blockaders in the morning on charges of trespass, obstruction of justice, and mischief

and this lovely photo dam line 9 posted which explains a lot.

For more information on Line 9 and the damage it will cause to our environment see: